Welder&#39;s helmet



pril 21, 1964 A.L. HANEY 3,129,431

WELDERS HELMET Filed Oct. 30, 1962 INV EN TOR. fiAv/w/P A. bfi/vfr BY A TTORN EYSY United States Patent ()fiice 3,129,431 WELDERS HELlvmT Arthur L. Haney, Poweil, Wye. (Box 124, Bridger, Mont.) Filed Get. 39, 1962, Ser. No. 234,049 4 tliaims. (Cl. 28)

This invention relates to protective helmets, and more particularly to a protective helmet adapted to be worn by a welder to protect his face while performing welding operations and being readily removable when not required.

A main object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved welders helmet which is simple in construction, which is easy to put on and take oil, which is comfortable to wear, and which is easy to adjust to provide a proper fit.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved welding helmet which is of a coloration making it relatively cool so that it is comfortable to wear in hot weather and which is provided with conveniently adjustable elastic strap means which secures the helmet in proper position on the wearers head so that it will not fall off during use.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and claims, and from the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of an improved welders helmet constructed in accordance with the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the welders helmet of FIGURE 1 to a reduced scale, taken from the rear.

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary rear elevational view of the helmet taken substantially on the line 3-3 of FIG- URE 1.

Referring to the drawings, 11 generally designates a welders helmet constructed in accordance with the present invention. The helmet 11 comprises a head band 12 shaped to surround a persons head, the head band being made of relatively stiff strap material, such as stiff leather, or the like, and being formed to define a generally oval closed loop, with the end portions 13 and 14 of the band overlapping each other, as is clearly shown in FIGURE 1.

The strap material forming the head band 12 may be any other suitable relatively stiff material having some flexibility so that the head band can be adjusted somewhat in size by sliding the end portions 13 and 14 relative to each other.

A generally semicircular, transversely extending cross band 16 connects the opposite sides of the head band 12, the cross band being of the same relatively stiff, slightly yieldable strip material employed for the head band 12.

Secured to the front portion of the head band 12 is the substantially vertical transparent guard or mask member 17 which may be made of any suitable durable transparent material, such as stiff sheet plastic material molded to a generally semi-cylindrical shape, conforming with the shape of the forward portion of the head band 12, the mask member 17 being secured to said head band forward portion in any suitable manner, for example, by spaced rivets 21. The mask member 17 is of substantial height and is of sufficient area to completely cover the front of the head and neck of a person wearing same.

The end portion 14 comprises a tongue 22 of reduced width, as compared with the remainder of the head band 12, said tongue being slidably engageable in a pair of spaced metal straps 23, 23 externally secured on the end portion 13 of the head band. The end portion 13 is tapered in thickness towards its extremity, as shown at 24, so that its inside surface merges smoothly with the inside surface of the end portion 14.

The strap end portion 14 is formed with a vertical slot 25 through which extends an elastic band 26, said elastic 3,129,431 Patented Apr. 21, 1964 band being provided at its end with a transverse retaining bar 27 of greater length than the transverse length of the slot 25, so that the band 26 will be anchored relative to end portion 14 of the head band. As shown in FIG- URE 3, the retaining slot 25 is spaced laterally, namely, to the right, as viewed in FIGURE 3, from the tongue member 22.

The end portion 13 of the head band is formed with a vertical slot 28 which is spaced laterally, namely, to the left as viewed in FIGURE 3, from the retaining loops 23, 23, the elastic band 26 passing through the slot 23 and passing through a notch 29 formed in a generally C-shaped clip member 30 secured to the end portion 13 and being directed laterally therefrom, namely, to the left as viewed in FIGURE 3. The clip 3-0 is provided with the free transversely extending serrated edge 31 which is frictionally engageable with the outer end portion of the elastic band 26 to clamp same against the strap end portion 13 and to frictionally hold the elastic strap member 26 in adjusted position.

As will be readily apparent from FIGURE 1, the outer end 36 of the elastic band 26 may be pulled outwardly to shorten the inner portion of the elastic band, whereby to reduce the size of the head band 12 by forcing the tongue 22 to slide further through the guide loops 23, 23. The serrated edge 31 will engage the outer portion of the elastic band 26 and lock same. However, the band 26 is relatively yieldable sothat it will conform comfortably to the contour of the rear portion of the wearers head and will stretch sufficiently to allow the head band to be worn comfortably, while at the same time preventing the head band from falling off. The tension on the elastic band 26 may be easily adjusted so that the head band can be comfortably worn and can be easily taken off and put on, as required. 7

The clamp member 30 is relatively rigid and is of generally arcuately curved C-shaped structure, the secured end thereof comprising the respective lug portions 33, 33 which engage through slots provided therefor in the head band end portion 13 and which are bent over and deformed, as shown at 34, to secure the lug portions 33 to the head band end portion 13.

The various elements of the head band are preferably of light color, so that they will have minimum heat absorption and so that they will be more comfortable to wear, especially in hot Weather, than a helmet of dark color as is currently used. Thus, the exterior surfaces of the helmet are preferably of white color. The interior surfaces of the helmet may be of a medium shade, but of a color not to light to reflect light from the welding are into the wearers eyes.

While a specific embodiment of an improved welders helmet has been disclosed in the foregoing description, it will be understood that various modifications within the spirit of the invention may occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, it is intended that no limitations be placed on the invention except as defined by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A welders helmet comprising a head band shaped to surround a persons head, said head band having overlapping end portions, said head band being of resilient strip material and being formed at one end portion with a tongue and being provided at its other end portion with a plurality of spaced loops adapted to slidably receive said tongue, a vertical mask member secured to the forward portion of said head band, a cross strap connecting the sides of said head band, an elastic strap secured to said one end portion laterally adjacent said tongue and extending across the rear portion of the head band inside the head band, the other end portion of the head band being alaaasi formed with a vertical slot spaced laterally from said loops through which said strap passes, and clip means mounted externally on said other end portion and frictionally engaging said strap to retain the strap in an adjusted position, holding said tongue slidably in said loops, said strap being engageable with and being resiliently conformable with the contour of the rear portion of the wearers head, thereby preventing the head band from falling ofi the Wearers head.

2. A Welders helmet comprising a head band shaped to surround a persons head, said head band having overlapping end portions, said head band being of resilient strip material and being formed at one end portion with a tongue and being provided at its other end portion with a plurality of spaced loops adapted to slidably receive said tongue, a vertical mask member secured to the forward portion of said head band, a cross strap connecting the sides of said head band, an elastic strap secured to said one end portion laterally adjacent said tongue and extending across the rear portion of the head band inside the head band, the other end portion of the head band being formed with a vertical slot spaced laterally from said loops through which said strap passes, and a laterally directed arcuately curved clamping clip secured externally to said other end portion and having a serrated free transverse edge frictionally engaging said strap to retain the strap in an adjusted position holding said tongue slidably in said loops, said strap being engageable with and being resiliently conformable with the contour of the rear portion of the wearers head, thereby preventing the head band from falling ofi the wearers head.

3. A welders helmet comprising a head band shaped to surround a persons head, said head band having overlapping end portions, said head band being of resilient strip material and being formed at one end portion with a tongue and being provided at its other end portion with a plurality of spaced loops adapted to slidably receive said tongue, said other end portion tapering in thickness towards its extremity so as to smoothly merge with said one end portion, a vertical mask member secured to the forward portion of said head band, a cross strap connecting the sides of said head band, an elastic strap secured to said one end portion laterally adjacent said tongue and extending across the rear portion of the head band inside the head band, the other end portion of the head band being formed with a vertical slot spaced laterally from said loops through which said strap passes, and a laterally directed arcuately curved clamping clip secured externally to said other end portion and having a serrated free transverse edge frictionally engaging said strap to retain the strap in an adjusted position holding said tongue slidably in said loops, said strap being engageable with and being resiliently conformable with the contour of the rear portion of the wearers head, thereby preventing the head band from falling ofi the wearers head.

4. A welders helmet comprising a head band shaped to surround a persons head, said head band having overlapping end portions, said head band being of resilient strip materal and being formed at one end portion with a tongue and being provided at its other end portion with a plurality of spaced loops adapted to slidably receive said tongue, said other end portion tapering in thickness towards its extremity so as to smoothly merge with said one end portion, a vertical mask member of light color secured to the forward portion of said head band, a cross strap connecting the sides of said head band, an elastic strap detachably secured to said one end portion laterally adjacent said tongue and extending across the rear portion of the head band inside the head band, the other end portion of the head band being formed with a vertical slot spaced laterally from said loops through which said strap passes, and a laterally directed substantially C-shaped arcuately curved clamping clip secured externally to said other end portion and having a serrated free transverse edge frictionaly engaging said strap to retain the strap in an adjusted position holding said tongue slidably in said loops, said strap being engageable with and being resiliently conformable with the contour of the rear portion of the wearers head, thereby preventing the head band from falling oif the wearers head.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,559,252 Hartman Oct. 27, 1925 2,111,746 Bowers Mar. 22, 1938 2,272,833 Dockson Feb. 10, 1942 2,601,362 Bowers June 24, 1952 2,869,137 Scherz Jan. 20, 1959 2,885,685 Carr et al. May 12, 1959 2,963,708 Herbine et a1. Dec. 13, 1960 

1. A WELDER''S HELMET COMPRISING A HEAD BAND SHAPED TO SURROUND A PERSON''S HEAD, SAID HEAD BAND HAVING OVERLAPPING END PORTIONS, SAID HEAD BAND BEING OF RESILIENT STRIP MATERIAL AND BEING FORMED AT ONE END PORTION WITH A TONGUE AND BEING PROVIDED AT ITS OTHER END PORTION WITH A PLURALITY OF SPACED LOOPS ADAPTED TO SLIDABLY RECEIVE SAID TONGUE, A VERTICAL MASK MEMBER SECURED TO THE FORWARD PORTION OF SAID HEAD BAND, A CROSS STRAP CONNECTING THE SIDES OF SAID HEAD BAND, AN ELASTIC STRAP SECURED TO SAID ONE END PORTION LATERALLY ADJACENT SAID TONGUE AND EXTENDING ACROSS THE REAR PORTION OF THE HEAD BAND INSIDE THE HEAD BAND, THE OTHER END PORTION OF THE HEAD BAND BEING FORMED WITH A VERTICAL SLOT SPACED LATERALLY FROM SAID LOOPS THROUGH WHICH SAID STRAP PASSES, AND CLIP MEANS MOUNTED EXTERNALLY ON SAID OTHER END PORTION AND FRICTIONALLY ENGAGING SAID STRAP TO RETAIN THE STRAP IN AN ADJUSTED POSITION, HOLDING SAID TONGUE SLIDABLY IN SAID LOOPS, SAID STRAP BEING ENGAGEABLE WITH AND BEING RESILIENTLY CONFORMABLE WITH THE CONTOUR OF THE REAR PORTION OF THE WEARER''S HEAD, THEREBY PREVENTING THE HEAD BAND FROM FALLING OFF THE WEARER''S HEAD. 